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5 Things You Should Keep in Your Camera Bag

With the busy wedding season rapidly approaching, now is the perfect time to ensure you have everything prepped for your upcoming shoots. One of the top ways to prepare is to make sure you have the tools necessary to succeed during the wedding day in your camera bag.

Photography editing company ShootDotEdit is no stranger to working with photographers and understanding what they need to succeed. Below, they share essential items you need in your camera bag this wedding season.

Wedding day nightmares happen to every photographer – it’s par for the course with so many things to prep and think about for the shoot. Have you ever been in the middle of shooting and realized you forgot to pack extra batteries for your camera or flash? Or, have you ever ran out of space on your memory card and forgot to bring additional ones? The best way to prepare for the wedding day shoot and capture every moment is to pack your gear bag for any situation. Here are 5 things you should keep in your camera bag to ensure success during the wedding day.

1. A Backup Camera

While you already have your main camera in hand, a backup camera is helpful to make sure there are no interruptions during the shoot. Picture this – it’s almost time for the first kiss and your camera suddenly stops working, and you didn’t pack a backup. Or perhaps while getting a better angle at the reception, you accidentally drop your camera. These are wedding nightmares a backup camera can solve, because all you have to do is pick it up and resume shooting.

Before the wedding shoot, make sure you are familiar with your backup camera. This way, it is a seamless transition should you need to use it instead of your main camera.

2. Additional Lenses

Because every wedding differs, and you should prep for any situation, bring along additional lenses in your camera bag. There are two reasons to do this. One is so you can shoot with your favorite lenses to create a variety of angles and unique images during the wedding day. You can bring a wide-angle lens to help shoot the ceremony, a zoom lens to capture the first dance, and any other lens you prefer that works with your unique photography style.

The second reason for additional lenses is to ensure nothing slows you down during the shoot. For similar reasons as having a backup camera, bringing along extra lenses can eliminate interruptions if your lens is no longer functional for some reason.

3. Multiple Memory Cards

Although you deliver less images than you shoot from the wedding day, multiple memory cards are still ideal to ensure you capture every necessary image. Without extra memory cards, what happens if you fill up one before the shoot is over? The last thing you will likely want to do during the fast-paced wedding day shoot is worry about missing the shots that matter because your memory card is full. Keeping multiple cards in your camera bag allows you to switch out for a new memory card once the first one is full.

Another reason for multiple memory cards is for when you work with a second shooter. You can bring cards for them so after the wedding day, you can easily sync them to one another and take them back to upload on your computer.

4. Extra Batteries

Another item to pack in your camera bag is extra batteries. Since most weddings will require you to shoot for several hours, you will likely to go through multiple batteries in your different pieces of gear. Can you picture this happening? You’re shooting the first dance in low light and after you set up your gear and position yourself for the shot, you click the shutter and realize the battery is dead in one of the off-camera flashes (and you do not have a backup). And, to top it off, the bride and her father just had an emotional moment together during their dance, and the shot you took is unusable.

Extra batteries are essential for your camera bag and can help you avoid missing out on any memorable moments that help tell the story of the wedding day. Keep in mind, before you pack your gear, make sure each piece has a fully charged battery. Also, bring extra batteries that are charged in your bag so you can quickly change them when you need to during the shoot.

5. Maintenance Supplies

During the wedding day shoot, there are various elements (weather, location, etc.) that can affect your gear. It might not seem like much of an issue, especially if weather conditions are good and you are shooting indoors. But, every location has dust or particles that can affect your gear, especially your lenses. Rather than risking damage to your gear, include maintenance supplies in your camera bag to keep everything clean and safe.

Items such as a lens wipe or sensor dust cleaning equipment ensure you keep your gear clean, and help to avoid any issues that may occur because of the surrounding elements.

When you prepare for the wedding day shoot and bring backup items in your camera bag, you eliminate the chances for wedding day nightmares to happen because of your gear. Create a checklist for what you should keep in your bag, so you ensure that you are ready for anything during the shoot.

In addition to gear, what other tools do you need to successfully shoot during the wedding day? Our Pro Photographer Lighting and Posing Guide shares advanced tips and tricks from pro photographers that can help you shoot through any scenario and create dynamic images. Download it today!